their lives into conformity with God’s will, they can become his clean, approved servants.

Our appreciating God’s impartiality will also enable us to put in the right perspective what others may think of us. Our main concern will be to please, not men, who might be impressed by outward show, but Jehovah God, who sees what the heart is. We will follow the Scriptural admonition: “Whatever you are doing, work at it whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men, for you know that it is from Jehovah you will receive the due reward of the inheritance. Slave for the Master, Christ. Certainly the one that is doing wrong will receive back what he wrongly did, and there is no partiality.”​—Col. 3:23-25.

Truly God’s impartiality has resulted in marvelous benefits for humankind. The basis has been laid for all, not just a few, to choose to come into an approved standing before him, with the prospect of living forever. Appreciation of that fact should stir us to help as many as possible to gain an accurate knowledge of the truth. It should move us to shun favoritism and to avoid undue concern about what men may think of us. By doing everything as unto Jehovah, imitating his impartiality, we can be sure of receiving a rich reward.

Why Jesus’ Illustrations Helped People

WHEN Jesus was on earth his objective was to help people. He took pity on people, especially the sick and the oppressed, because he saw that “they were skinned and thrown about like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matt. 9:36) He performed many cures on these persons. When a leper entreated him on bended knee, saying: “If you just want to, you can make me clean,” Jesus, moved with pity, stretched out his hand and said to him: “I want to. Be made clean.”​—Mark 1:40, 41.

But Jesus helped people in a much more beneficial and lasting way than by physical cures. In fact, Jesus’ cures were by no means the major feature of his work. The ones healed were comparatively few, but everyone in the land heard his teaching.

HOW ILLUSTRATIONS HELP

Illustrations or parables occupied a prominent part of Jesus’ teaching to the crowds of people who heard him. The Bible record says: “Indeed, without an illustration he would not speak to them, but privately to his disciples he would explain all things.” (Mark 4:34) How were his illustrations especially helpful to those who really sought the explanation? First, they made the spiritual things, the ways and the thinking of God, understandable to humans. Jesus used the everyday affairs and dealings of life to illustrate abstract and